ITHACA, N.Y. -- Brown used an extended second half run to end the Cornell women's lacrosse team's season, topping the Big Red 14-9 on Saturday afternoon at Schoellkopf Field. The Big Red close the 2023 campaign with a 7-8 mark (3-4 Ivy), while the Bears finished 6-8 (3-4 Ivy).
Needing a win to keep its Ivy Tournament chances alive on Senior Day, Cornell could not get its potent offense on track and Bears' goalkeeper Margaret Woodberry made 10 saves, including a number of highlight stops, in limiting the Big Red to a season-low scoring total. Offensively, Claire Jeschke had five goals and an assist, with Mia Mascone adding three goals and two assists and Maddie Joyce adding a hat trick for the Bears. Brown scored on all five of its free position attempts and held a narrow 14-13 edge in draw controls.
Cornell got three goals from
Amanda Cramer and multi-point contests from
Katie Castiello and
Caitlin Slaminko with two goals apiece, and
Maggie Pons and
Josie Vogel with a goal and an assist each. The Big Red posted a 32-23 edge in shots and a 17-13 lead in ground balls.
Shannon Brazier, who joined Cramer and four others as celebrated seniors, had six draw controls to close her Cornell career with 99, good for 11th place. Another senior,
Katie Castiello, had two goals to close her career with 105 points.
The Big Red posted top 10 season marks in goals (193, ninth), draw controls (220, second) and free position goals (50, fourth).
After falling behind 6-3 at the second of the first quarter, Cornell held the Bears scoreless the rest of the half and for a span of 20:41, tying the game at 6-6 on Castiello's goal 1:11 into the second half. The Bears answered with two straight, and after trading goals to get to 10-8 Brown early in the fourth, a 4-0 Brown run capped off the win.
Cornell never quit, surrendering three of the late goals while trying to double and get the ball back, even scoring a woman-down goal with 10 seconds left for the final margin.
The Big Red needed a win and some help on Sunday to make its 10th Ivy Tournament appearance in 12 seasons, but instead dropped a contest to the Bears for the second straight year.
